Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: dave.woodhall on August 14, 2015, 06:27:04 AM
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http://thebirminghampress.com/2015/08/fans-lead-calls-for-villa-to-pay-living-wage/
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It is clearly something we must do. The poverty of working people is a national disgrace cloaked by relentless media misrepresentation of those with lesser skill levels as work shy and scroungers.
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For a business which was happy to pay Stephen Ireland £80,000 a week, to be even debating this is quite frankly astonishing.
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If Villa wants to maintain a reputation for being a club with a commendable record of corporate social responsibility it is a must!
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When a packet of biscuts can cost £2.00, not paying the living wage is... well diabolical.
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It is clearly something we must do. The poverty of working people is a national disgrace cloaked by relentless media misrepresentation of those with lesser skill levels as work shy and scroungers.
Absolutely spot on.
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When a packet of biscuts can cost £2.00, not paying the living wage is... well diabolical.
If the poor cannot afford biscuits, let them eat cake.
Actually, this is something the club should arrange immediately and we shouldn't be lagging behind the likes of sodding Chelsea. The club should make sure that that any extra payment isn't swallowed up by the slave masters that are temporary/casual employment agencies. They'll be an a good enough screw already.
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How do we sign up? Is there a campaign page?
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Nor a business which was happy to pay Stephen Ireland £80,000 a week, to be even debating this is quite frankly astonishing.
Correct.
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How do we sign up? Is there a campaign page?
If you go here......http://www.citizensuk.org/aston_villa_living_wage and click on take action now. That will offer a link to a petition for all PL clubs to pay the living wage.
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And it must be the proper living wage calculated by economic formula, not that phoney amount announced by George Osborne in his emergency budget and calculated on the degree he can divert the whole earnings debate by nicking someone else's campaign.
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I might be wrong but I was always under the impression that the concession stands were managed out franchises and only the heads on each section were actual villa employees.
I know the majority of the people who work in the stands are Uni grads looking for extra cash rather than full time employees and I also think that part of their deal is that once the job is over if there are available seats they can watch the game for free as part of their deal.
I will explore this and come back tomorrow
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I think if they have to watch the game, they should get paid extra.
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I might be wrong but I was always under the impression that the concession stands were managed out franchises and only the heads on each section were actual villa employees.
I know the majority of the people who work in the stands are Uni grads looking for extra cash rather than full time employees and I also think that part of their deal is that once the job is over if there are available seats they can watch the game for free as part of their deal.
I will explore this and come back tomorrow
Admittedly a long time ago, but when I worked in the bars/kiosks we were too busy to watch any of the match. But yes, we were agency staff.
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When a packet of biscuts can cost £2.00, not paying the living wage is... well diabolical.
£2? Where do you buy biscuits from?
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When a packet of biscuts can cost £2.00, not paying the living wage is... well diabolical.
£2? Where do you buy biscuits from?
I think it's how much his butler tells him they are whenever he dips into the petty cash.
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isnt it the agencies who decide how much they pay?
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CMZfl38WEAAFASu.jpg:large)
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CMZfl38WEAAFASu.jpg:large)
Oh so that's the real reason they all left on mass then. Lol
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CMZfl38WEAAFASu.jpg:large)
Oh so that's the real reason they all left on mass then. Lol
Where is the Drum?
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Some are paid directly by AVFC but most are agency staff so not really villa's call.
As for the banners - its a bit err "Liverpool" don't you think :-\
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I don't think Liverpool invented banners, to be honest. I'm not a fan of their drumapologism but fair play to the Brigada gang for this campaign.
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I haven't got the accounts to hand, but from memory we have something like 600 part time employees. If we're paying agency staff, then what on earth do they all do?
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Not particularly related to wages but some of the catering staff were next to useless the other night...one particular young lad was clearly on his first day, hadn't received adequate training (or just incompetent), got a simple order of 2 pint and pie deals wrong, charged the wrong amount and gave the wrong change...ended up with another member of staff having to step in. A few ppl in the queue behind me shouting that the club should at least hire and pay trained staff.
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Some are paid directly by AVFC but most are agency staff so not really villa's call.
As for the banners - its a bit err "Liverpool" don't you think :-\
Appropriate though. How would you stage a demonstration of this kind? Remembering that it does need to be visible to get the point across.
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Would a letter/email writing campaign help here?
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Some are paid directly by AVFC but most are agency staff so not really villa's call.
Agencies only pay a percentage of what they've been paid. If the Villa want to be part of a system that is destructive to job security and workplace rights, they should at least pay the agencies enough that, when their usual percentage is deducted, the workers have enough to live on. Either that or have the balls to actually employ these people.
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Some are paid directly by AVFC but most are agency staff so not really villa's call.
Agencies only pay a percentage of what they've been paid. If the Villa want to be part of a system that is destructive to job security and workplace rights, they should at least pay the agencies enough that, when their usual percentage is deducted, the workers have enough to live on. Either that or have the balls to actually employ these people.
Given that know how much they're currently paying agency staff through the contracts, they can insist on the living wage being paid as the the ones who pay the piper and pay the extra that way if they so wish.
Saying it's agency staff and out of their control is an easy out. (I'm not aware that the club have made that statement, but it's a potential point of view.)
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AVFC could absolutely insist that any employment agency bringing staff onto site pays the Living Wage as opposed to the minimum wage.
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if luton town can pay their staff the living wage, so can villa.
there is a petition here, show your support: http://speakout.38degrees.org.uk/campaigns/24?decision_id=21207
cheers.
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We should pay the living wage but I think trying to get anything other than a zero hours contract might be a tad ambitious.
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No excuse for any premiership club to not pay all their staff the living wage really, given first team match days (when the bulk of them are needed) they're only open 25-30 days a year max.
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Some are paid directly by AVFC but most are agency staff so not really villa's call.
Agencies only pay a percentage of what they've been paid. If the Villa want to be part of a system that is destructive to job security and workplace rights, they should at least pay the agencies enough that, when their usual percentage is deducted, the workers have enough to live on. Either that or have the balls to actually employ these people.
With staff numbers (agency) directly linked to attendances it is very difficult to employee staff on a regular full time basis - hence the use of agency workers. The vast majority of them are students local to the area so not sure what a living wage would be for them as I do not know what tax issues there are for students, part time workers etc
All I do know is if businesses are forced to pay out on one hand they will recoup it somewhere else. I am not aware of any of the staff there for match day that it is their only source of income but could be wrong as I don't know everyone but I also do know that if the already high prices at concession stands increased to cover labour costs you would see a big fall in sales and that would result in less people being employed. Its a tough call
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if luton town can pay their staff the living wage, so can villa.
there is a petition here, show your support: http://speakout.38degrees.org.uk/campaigns/24?decision_id=21207
cheers.
Signed.
It's poor that we're having to shame Villa into doing this, but still.
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if luton town can pay their staff the living wage, so can villa.
there is a petition here, show your support: http://speakout.38degrees.org.uk/campaigns/24?decision_id=21207
cheers.
Done
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if luton town can pay their staff the living wage, so can villa.
there is a petition here, show your support: http://speakout.38degrees.org.uk/campaigns/24?decision_id=21207
cheers.
Signed.
It's poor that we're having to shame Villa into doing this, but still.
Signed.
It would be nice to put this as a sticky post so we can get as many signatures as possible from H & V members.
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At the end of the day its everybody's choice if the wish to work at VP ....these are casual appointments so upto the person.
I would guess most do it because they love the Club
In addition to the pay many (not all) are able to watch the game ...for example a steward in middle Trinity never does anything doing the game other than watch it ....... so he is getting free viewing
Sorry but I don't see this as a topic to discuss on a football forum
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At the end of the day its everybody's choice if the wish to work at VP ....these are casual appointments so upto the person.
I would guess most do it because they love the Club
In addition to the pay many (not all) are able to watch the game ...for example a steward in middle Trinity never does anything doing the game other than watch it ....... so he is getting free viewing
Sorry but I don't see this as a topic to discuss on a football forum
First of all it's about a football club, its staff and its standing in the community so it is very much a topic to discuss on a football forum.
The "it's their choice to work there" argument is ill-conceived in the extreme. For many of the matchday staff it's the only work available to them. The choice isn't work there or somewhere elsewhere, it's work there or go hungry. Very few do it because they love the club; most have no interest in football and do it because they need the money. Equally, most don't get the chance to see any of the match - for every steward who might be able to watch there are many more catering and corporate staff who may as well be working at the NEC for all they see of the pitch. The very least they deserve is a decent wage.
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In addition to the pay many (not all) are able to watch the game ...for example a steward in middle Trinity never does anything doing the game other than watch it ....... so he is getting free viewing
Sorry but I don't see this as a topic to discuss on a football forum
And what about the times they have to get into the middle of a ruck? Even those in the UT. I'm often up there and over the years have seen a few tasty fights kick off, never mind arguments and ejections they have to deal with as you often get a fair few away fans up there.
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Not only at VP. I was ashamed to see Villa fans fighting among themselves at Forest with Forest stewards making an excellent job of restoring order. That there should be a second's doubt about paying Villa Park workers the minimum wage I find incredible.
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If AVFC are using agencies to find their temporary/casual staff, wouldn't the club be better off having their own spin-off agency that makes less of a mark up on the hourly rate and in turn pays the staff a living wage? Recruitment agents could still earn their commission, the agency would be a safe bet due to having a single big client (the club) and could even compete with other agencies on a "we provide labour at x amount per hr" but also pay those workers a living wage too, that could be a huge benefit to the wider community.
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In addition to the pay many (not all) are able to watch the game ...for example a steward in middle Trinity never does anything doing the game other than watch it ....... so he is getting free viewing
Sorry but I don't see this as a topic to discuss on a football forum
And what about the times they have to get into the middle of a ruck? Even those in the UT. I'm often up there and over the years have seen a few tasty fights kick off, never mind arguments and ejections they have to deal with as you often get a fair few away fans up there.
Each stand has a team of trained stewards that are from either Security, Police or Prison service backgrounds and are the ones called upon any serious disorder in the stadium. This is a condition of keeping the Police levels to a minimum. Obviously there are games where a high Police presence is inevitable but in the main we have one of the lowest Policing presences in the league. Each year there are a number of new stewards and they obviously take time to get up to speed on match day, the same with concession staff.
Another thing that would help is the treatment of match day staff whether paid or volunteers by the fans. It ok to claim the club should pay a 17 year old kid a decent wage (and I agree with this by the way) but also the same kids on poor money do not need morons giving them a hard time because they cannot get a pie or a pint. The largest turnover of staff is due to behaviour towards them not the wage packet I assure you.
And as for stewards never do anything- there are some that are lazy buggers like in any profession but in the main its a tough job being on the other side. It is however a tough job with benefits and in the main I have done it for so many years as I love the club, certainly not for the money as I am sure that is the case for all us old timers who work there as certainly the former years we got only a cup of tea and a pie as reward.
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At the end of the day its everybody's choice if the wish to work at VP ....these are casual appointments so upto the person.
I would guess most do it because they love the Club
In addition to the pay many (not all) are able to watch the game ...for example a steward in middle Trinity never does anything doing the game other than watch it ....... so he is getting free viewing
Sorry but I don't see this as a topic to discuss on a football forum
I take it you have applied for a postion then? Surely you don't pay to get in when you can be a steward and do next to nothing?
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My daughter's little company pays the living wage in addition to which we have given season tickets to two new recruits who have joined under my regime of a two questions only application for employment form. The questions are 1. Are you a Villa fan? 2. Are you prepared to become a Villa fan? The Man U game was the first company outing under this system and the two recruits both enjoyed the night out immensely. Okay they both answered "yes" to question 1 and the Question 2 "yes" responders may be a bit trickier. We have the son of a regular poster in these pages in the pipeline. Quite enjoying the power trip actually.
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Whenever I'm in the queue to get something to eat or drink at half time, the kids serving behind the counter never look to me like they're doing it because they love the club.
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They appear to be terrified.
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I was ashamed to see Villa fans fighting among themselves at Forest with Forest stewards making an excellent job of restoring order.
What is it with us fighting each other these days? Drink-related i suppose.
Saw enough of at the Final...
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Pissed up out of their minds, faces as red as turkey cocks' arses but soon deeply ashamed of themselves I was relieved to see. If the coppers had got involved the fans would have got battered I am sure. Those prats owe a big thank you to the Forest stewards.
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These fights normally kick off over a disagreement of some sort, so for it to happen at a freindly is ridiculous.
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Without meaning to sound preach-y I don't understand why anyone gets drunk before going to a match, a beer or 2 before the game and another couple afterwards I can live with but turning up already pissed is just weird.
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Without meaning to sound preach-y I don't understand why anyone gets drunk before going to a match, a beer or 2 before the game and another couple afterwards I can live with but turning up already pissed is just weird.
its because sometimes you get in a round with fast drinkers and before you know it you have drank ten pints
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Whenever I'm in the queue to get something to eat or drink at half time, the kids serving behind the counter never look to me like they're doing it because they love the club.
They also all look startled at being asked to provide something that's listed for sale. They're almost up there with Paul Lambert in the useless stakes.
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Whenever I'm in the queue to get something to eat or drink at half time, the kids serving behind the counter never look to me like they're doing it because they love the club.
They also all look startled at being asked to provide something that's listed for sale. They're almost up there with Paul Lambert in the useless stakes.
Or give change.
MATHSTERROR
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Without meaning to sound preach-y I don't understand why anyone gets drunk before going to a match, a beer or 2 before the game and another couple afterwards I can live with but turning up already pissed is just weird.
I like football a lot, and I also like drinking alcohol a lot, but I've never really had that link between the two where I feel I have to drink as much as I can before a match.
At least not since i was a teenager (mind you, that was the Turner / McNeill era, so anything even slightly mind-bending which would blunt the shite we were watching was much appreciated).
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Without meaning to sound preach-y I don't understand why anyone gets drunk before going to a match, a beer or 2 before the game and another couple afterwards I can live with but turning up already pissed is just weird.
I like football a lot, and I also like drinking alcohol a lot, but I've never really had that link between the two where I feel I have to drink as much as I can before a match.
At least not since i was a teenager (mind you, that was the Turner / McNeill era, so anything even slightly mind-bending which would blunt the shite we were watching was much appreciated).
Yeah exactly, they just don't feel like things that naturally go together for me. As a rugby and cricket fan I like having a drink or 2 whilst a game is on but there's a big difference between a couple of drinks and getting pissed.
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I like(d) drinking a lot and I like football a lot. I like both far too much and one had to go. As the curtain came down on last season I was pretty certain I had made the wrong choice. Now that pain has eased a tiny bit common sense prevails again.
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Much as I like a drink, I will not spend money on getting pissed amounts of alcohol at something that has cost a lot of money to go to.
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Without meaning to sound preach-y I don't understand why anyone gets drunk before going to a match, a beer or 2 before the game and another couple afterwards I can live with but turning up already pissed is just weird.
What I don't get are those fans (particularly at away games) that spend all their time below the stand drinking...albeit they seem to be having a good time singing but they don't actually join the rest of us in the crowd, watching the game or supporting the team. Considering they've made the effort to buy a ticket and travel, it doesn't make much sense to me. Weird.
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everton becoming only the 5th club to pay the living wage...
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/oct/31/everton-to-pay-staff-living-wage
Everton has become the second Premier League club to pledge to pay all its staff at least the independently calculated living wage.
The Liverpool-based football club is being accredited by the Living Wage Foundation as the body prepares to announce this year’s minimum pay rate - which is based on a calculation of the amount employees and their families need to live.
Everton joins Chelsea, the London club owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, which is the only other Premier League club to pay all its workers, including contractors and agency staff, at least the minimum wage.
Famous footballers may earn millions of pounds a year, but clubs have been criticised for paying backroom staff, particularly contractors who can make up the majority of those working on matchdays, little more than the legally required minimum.
Only five football clubs – including Luton Town, Derby County and Heart of Midlothian – are fully accredited by the LWF, ensuring that all staff and agency workers have earned at least £9.40 an hour in London and £8.25 outside the capital.
Ahead of accreditation by the LWF, Everton has handed 250 casual and match-day staff a pay rise taking them to the living wage. Over the next three years, it has also pledged to ensure that more than 700 contractors working for the club will receive a pay rise amounting to as much as £2,000 a year.
Prof Denise Barrett-Baxendale, Everton’s deputy chief executive and director, said: “It is extremely important to us that we treat all of our colleagues well and reward people fairly in terms of their pay. Supporting the accredited living wage is quite simply the right thing to do; it improves our employees’ quality of life but also benefits our business and society as a whole.”
Katherine Chapman, the director of the Living Wage Foundation, welcomed the accreditation, saying: “It is fantastic that Everton have become the second Premier League football club to sign up as a living wage employer, ensuring that all their staff – from caterers to match day staff – receive a real living wage that covers the cost of living.
“I hope other football clubs will take their lead and follow suit.”
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Fair do's to Everton. There simply is no reason why anyone working at a football club should pick up £7 an hour when the game is swimming with money.
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Only 5 clubs have LWF accreditation what a disgusting state of affairs. Well done Everton, Luton Town, Derby County, Heart of Midlothian and (begrudgingly even) Chelski. Hopefully we'll be one of the next.